3 Commonly Asked Questions About Dental Implants
Dental implants are a great way to replace missing teeth. Made from titanium, the implant is incredibly strong. If you would like to know more about dental implants, check out these three commonly asked questions.
1. How Do Dental Implants Work?
A single dental implant consists of a titanium implant, a crown, and an abutment. The dentist makes a hole in the jawbone and inserts the titanium implant and lets it heal. During this process, the gum tissue closes over the implant. After the implant has healed, your dentist makes an incision to access the implant, places the abutment, and attaches the crown.
Titanium, unlike other metals, can fuse to bone tissue. This makes dental crowns incredibly durable like natural teeth, which are secured with ligaments. This process also prevents the jawbone from shrinking due to tooth loss.
2. What If You Have Multiple Missing Teeth?
If you're missing multiple teeth, a single implant may not be cost-effective. Instead, consider an implant-supported bridge or implant-supported dentures. These use fewer titanium implants when compared to multiple single implants. For example, if you have four single implants, you need to pay for four titanium implants. With a four-tooth implant-supported bridge, you may only need two implants to support the teeth.
An implant-supported bridge is nearly exactly like a standard bridge. It simply uses implants instead of teeth for support. This makes the implant-supported bridge more durable. However, it also prevents wear and tear on healthy teeth from supporting the crown. An implant-supported denture, unlike traditional dentures, snaps into place to secure it, but the denture can still be removed.
3. How Much Do Dental Implants Cost?
A single dental implant usually costs about $2,400 to $3,000. On top of that, the procedure to place the abutment and crown may add $500 to $3,000. However, the price can increase if you need additional treatments like:
- Tooth extraction
- Gum disease treatment
- Gum graft/surgeries
- Bone graft
- Sinus lift
Implant-supported bridges and dentures cost more since they replace more teeth and need more implants. A full set of upper and lower implant-supported dentures costs an average of $34,119.
Just because you're missing teeth it doesn't mean you have to live with an imperfect smile. There are many tooth-replacement options. Dental implants are incredibly durable and look just like natural teeth. If you would like to know more about dental implants, contact a dentist in your area today.
